Titan
by Genki Rocket
Summary: Two Team Magma grunts look for a new purpose in life while trying to find the Legendary Golems of Ice, Rock, and Steel.


Whoooo, first fanfiction ever, here we go. Obviously, since it's my first, I'd appreciate tips and constructive criticism, thanks for reading yo. :3 Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Pokemon, unfortunately, Nintendo is the one with that happy right.

_Stop trying to live as others have told you to. Don't let yourself die for the people who would leave you without a second glance. And if you have to let someone else choose your path in life for you? Don't. Backtrack and take the next best option. We were given life to make choices._

_ -Morton Lee, 26__th__ Gym Leader of the Ecruteak Gym, 2018_

Equilibrium.

It's a funny word, isn't it? It implies that there's a balance. Between what? Well…I wouldn't be the one to know that, would I?

Though if I had to guess, I'd say it's a balance between good and…evil?

Those were the thoughts running through my head as I stood guard in the Team Hideout. I swept a veil of sweat from my forehead, wondering, yet again, why I chose Team Magma over Aqua, despite my intolerance for heat. Though at least I wasn't suffering as poorly as my partner.

I glanced over at him. Just another Magma grunt whose name I didn't recall. And had no intention of remembering either. It wasn't like I was planning to stay with Team Magma any longer than I had to anyway. Just until I was able to pay off all my debts.

I swore under my breath. I knew it hadn't been a good idea to get mixed up with those loan sharks.

"It's so hot…" My companion complained, interrupting my train of thought. I tried to stay calm. A complaint or two, I could handle. A half hour of whining about the heat was starting to get on my nerves. "What was the Boss thinking, making our base in the middle of a volcano?"

I silently glared at him, hoping he'd get the message and shut up. "If you're so bothered by the heat, why not defect to Team Aqua?" It'd be one less moron I'd have to deal with anyway.

He seemed to brighten at the thought. "Maybe! But then I'd have to give up Bester…" He stared sadly at the Pokéball in his hand. His assigned Pokémon, I guessed. I assumed it was either a Numel or a Poochyena, since that was pretty much all us Grunts were given.

I looked away from him, lost as he was in his thoughts. Thinking about what, I have no idea, and I didn't really want to know either. I sighed as I watched another troop of Magma Grunts pass by us, laughing as the Zubat overhead looked hungrily at their exposed necks. I glared at both trainers and Pokémon alike, hoping they would move on.

Why did society demand people train Pokémon anyway? The little monsters were dangerous, even with years of training. Even a Magikarp could splash through a body if they grew to be strong enough. And in the event of a wild Metagross rampaging through the city, wasn't it the Champion's job to deal with it?

It's strange how no one ever seemed to agree with me. Even when I was a kid, my parents would look disappointed whenever I told them I didn't want to be a trainer. After they died, I admit; I felt a bit guilty for never managing to meet their expectations. And my friends too: by the time I graduated 2 years ago, they had all received their licenses. My brother was the only one to have even tried to understand me, although he was a trainer himself. But he also died about a year back, while searching for the legendary titan of the skies. And so, it was left for me to care for his last remaining Pokémon, a Numel.

Again, I sighed. Being a member of one of Hoenn's two biggest criminal teams was also beginning to look like more trouble than it was worth. I swore to myself that the next big pay I got, I was going to get out and try to accomplish my goal somewhere else. Money, a free costume, and a group of insane, land loving acquaintances weren't going to help me if I landed in jail.

Sometimes I wondered what I was even doing with my life. For the last 6 months, I had done nothing but wander around the region, doing odd jobs and scraping enough money to support me and Numel. If I thought about it, I realized that I really didn't have a goal in life anymore.

As I thought this, the Grunt next to me interrupted my thoughts by pointing out someone coming near the hall. I looked up to see a kid in a weird hat and Pokéball in hand.

"I don't think we had anyone like that, did we?" My partner wondered out loud. "He looks too young to be in a group like this."

I silently agreed. Then I frowned. White hat, green getup; it sounded worryingly familiar. My fears were confirmed when the kid glared at me before throwing out a Swampert at us.

"You idiot!" I raged. I **definitely** would not admit it also took me this long to realize. "It's that trainer Admin Tabitha told us to look out for!" I looked over my options. If the boss was so worried about this guy, he was sure to be strong. On the other hand…

I grinned. "You know, I bet we're sure to get a huge bonus for beating this guy." My partner looked surprised, then seemed excited by the notion. The kid just yawned.

I stepped forward, my Numel at the ready.

"Sorry kid. I don't have a bone to pick with you. I'm just following orders!" Next to me, my companion started muttering about joining Team Aqua.

"Get beat, kid!"

"….well…that could have gone a lot worse." My friend moaned while lounging on the ground.

I sighed. The battle had seemed favorable for us: for a few seconds anyway. While Numel was able to get in the first move, it had only taken one move from that Swampert to 'swamp' both of us.

"Though I am surprised." I said, turning to the other Grunt. "I didn't expect you to have a Mightyena." Aren't they supposed to obey only highly skilled trainers?

He grinned, the dog in question tripping over it's own paws before stopping to lick it's trainer's face.

I suppose you can't believe everything you read.

"I've had Bester since I was a kid. My parents were affiliated with the Magma's since even before they had me, so I've had plenty of time to train him up." He frowned. "I think, anyway. Of course, not like it helped against that kid we fought."

What was with that questioning tone? You'd think you'd at least know about your own history.

Bester whined, looking depressed. His trainer immediately jumped up to comfort him, the end result being the Mightyena slobbering all over the Grunt's face, who reacted by initiating a wrestling match with the Pokémon. I watched them for a minute, then looked away. I had never understood people who actually got along with Pokémon, and I wasn't about to try.

"What about you?" My companion asked me. "Des is a pretty weird name for a Numel, isn't it?"

I shrugged. At the very least, this conversation hadn't taken a turn for the annoying yet.

"Destiny. That's her name." I didn't really think it was such an odd name, or worthy of further shortening. Of course, it wasn't like I had much experience about what was considered correct in Pokémon culture. Said Numel looked up from her spot on the ground, where she seemed to be chewing on charcoal. As I absentmindedly tapped my hand rhythmically against a nearby boulder , I looked down the path where the kid had gone down after beating us. "…you think he'll be alright?"

My partner followed my eyes, and seemed to realize what I was referring to. "Doubt it. Mr. Tabitha and the Boss already went down that way earlier. And even if he makes it pass them, there's still…" He trailed off.

I nodded, understanding instantly what he meant. "Groudon." The reason we standing here, guarding a hallway in a volcano. The reason we were in the frickin' volcano in the first place. So that the Boss could take control of a titan with his Blue Orb. Not that it had anything to do with me. Whatever the higher ups were planning, I definitely didn't want a part in it.

"By the way, what's your name?" I turned to see that Bester had apparently emerged dominant against it's trainer, and was now sitting atop him. Regardless, the Grunt was grinning happily as he looked up at me.

Why would he want to know? It wasn't as if it would make me feel any closer to him. Or even people in general for that matter. But…there was something about his expression that made me want to continue speaking.

"You first." Though of course, I wasn't spilling my name based on a spur of the moment impulse. I had gotten involved with enough bad people at this point that I wasn't exactly jumping to tell my name to strangers. And besides, if he wasn't willing to tell me about himself, I had no obligation to do likewise.

He looked surprised at the prompt, as if no one had ever asked him about himself before. Then a smile.

"I…don't remember exactly, to be totally honest." Bester made a pitiful squeaking noise and laid his head on his trainer's lap.

Tauros dung. No one goes and just forgets their name, unless a Psychic decided to mess with their heads. Although, I considered, listening to my partner hum a cartoon opening, it probably wouldn't be a far stretch to assume that he had managed to annoy a Psychic.

He began speaking again. "At the very least, I know it starts with an 'A'." He mentioned cheerfully. "You can call me Alex, or Adam, or Alice."

Unless I was missing something, I'm pretty sure one of those two wasn't like the third. And if we were doing pseudonyms, I could play that game too. "Alex it is then. My name is Mari- ah!"

My companion looked confused. "Maria?"

I took a second to glare at him before looking around. Something had hit me on the head. Neither Bester nor Destiny seemed alarmed, and I had been talking to my friend here just now. Which meant…

I looked up just in time to see another rock crumble, and just barely hopped out of the way. My companions weren't so lucky, and I turned to see Bester and his trainer holding at their various body parts in pain, though Destiny seemed to barely notice the rocks falling on her.

"What's going on?!" Alex shrieked. I jumped under a nearby overcropping to protect myself from more rocks, and pulled over the other three as well. Just in time too, since a group of Geodude and Graveler stampeded- roll-peded?- past right after I did. Standing, I realized the ground was also shaking slightly, though it was quickly getting more violent with each passing second. I cursed under my breath. Either the volcano was collapsing on the inside, or it was getting ready to erupt; and I didn't like my chances either way.

"Aw crap."


End file.
